As the number of devices having wireless communication capabilities increases, there is a growing demand for the formation of wireless networks between these devices, such as Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) networks. Further, to help ensure the security of the information transmitted over such networks, it is often desirable to provide an encryption scheme to protect the data. However, setting up or joining an encrypted network typically requires a relatively high level of sophistication from the users regarding the ability to properly configure the appropriate settings, encryption methods, passwords and identifiers
Accordingly, it is beneficial to simplify the process of establishing secure wireless networks. For example, current 802.11 wireless LAN standards provide a protocol for providing infrastructure basic service set (BSS) or extended service set (ESS) networks called WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) that allows users to setup, configure and join encrypted networks in a streamlined manner. Details regarding the WPS can be found in the specification document “Wi-Fi Protected Setup Specification,” Version 1.0h, December 2006, available from the Wi-Fi Alliance, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Generally, establishing and joining a WPS network does not require the user to manually configure the encryption and network settings. Instead, much of the configuration process is automatically initiated and carried out by devices having the appropriate WPS certification.
Conventional WPS networks include a registrar, which is a device configured to control the network and authorize the addition of new devices, and one or more enrollees, which are devices that are in the process of being authorized to join the network. In one implementation, the user of an enrollee device enters a Personal Identification Number (PIN), which validates the enrollee and triggers the registrar to transmit the relevant configuration settings, including the network name (SSID) and encryption security key. Upon receipt of this information, the enrollee then applies the appropriate settings and can join the encrypted network.
A variety of WPS further simplifies the enrollment process. The Push Button Control (PBC) extension of the WPS protocol allows an enrollee to be added to the infrastructure network by pushing a physical or virtual button on both the registrar device and the enrollee device within a given time window, typically two minutes. As will be appreciated, this implementation avoids the necessity of entering any specific information, such as a PIN, and the attendant risk of errors due to mistyping or misreading. Other implementations of the WPS protocol include additional mechanisms for validating devices seeking enrollment, for example using Near-Field Communication (NFC) strategies.
Despite the simplicity offered by the WPS protocol, its application has been limited to infrastructure network configurations which necessarily require some type of distribution system, often in the form of a dedicated access point. Although applicable in many situations, an infrastructure network cannot accommodate ad hoc networks formed solely between client devices. This type of network configuration is known as an independent basic service set (IBSS) and includes only two or more devices, or stations (STA), that operate in a peer relationship. IBSS networks do not have a distribution system or any other dedicated device that regulates the network. Without recourse to a WPS protocol, IBSS networks have conventionally required substantial manual configuration in order to properly setup secure communications between the participating devices.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a WPS protocol to setup an IBSS network and to add new devices to such networks. Similarly, it would be beneficial to provide a system and method for providing the creation, configuration and joining of an ad hoc network between peer devices requiring minimal user input. It would also be beneficial to provide systems and methods for IBSS networking that do not require modification of existing protocols. This invention provides these and other benefits.